DNA Data Storage
We currently have the technology to use DNA as a data storage medium. In our relentless pursuit of knowledge, the zenith we've reached is 700 petabits, or 87.5 terabytes, per gram of DNA. My curiosity was piqued, and I delved into understanding the weight of a single strand of human DNA and pondered on the data we might be able to encapsulate using our contemporary technology within that weight.
It's astonishing to realize just how intricate and efficient nature is when it comes to storing information. Consider this: a single strand of human DNA weighs approximately 0.000000001 picograms or about 660 billion daltons. Yet, this minuscule strand carries the astounding ability to contain all the information needed to construct a human being.
In our current technological era, we can only artificially store about 0.000000769658 bits of data in a strand of DNA equivalent in weight to a human's DNA strand. To put that in perspective, 1 megabyte is composed of 8,388,608 bits. That's right; our man-made capacity seems almost trivial in comparison.
Now, let's dive a little deeper. We estimate that the 2.9 billion base pairs in human DNA can be represented as 2 bits each, which gives us roughly 725 megabytes. But here's a thought: what if each base pair isn't as straightforward as 2 bits? Could it be equivalent to 2 bytes? Or what if, just perhaps, each base pair is so intricate that it equates to 10 terabytes and we're yet to discover this level of complexity? Imagine the possibility that each base pair is a highly encrypted set of data, which we currently understand as a mere 2 bits.
With all these considerations, our ability to store data in DNA seems to be at a mere fraction of a bit in comparison to nature's staggering capacity of at least 725 megabytes within the same weight.
Drawing from these observations, it's feasible to suggest that nature can store at a minimum of 1 exabyte per gram of DNA. In the grand scheme of things, it's evident that Mother Nature is the ultimate data architect!
